Electric train-signal.



E. F. VON DREDE-N. ELEGTRIG TRAIN SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED AUGQ16,1910.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

ERNST F. vonDBEDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC TRAIN-SIGNAL.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

Application filed August 16, 1910. Serial No. 577,459.

To all w/iom it may concern: Be it known that I, ERNST F. VON DRE- DnN,a citizen of Germany, and resident of New York city, county and State ofNew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in ElectricTrain-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel signal system for railway trains bymeans of which the motorman is informed that the'doors of all cars havebeen properly closedand that the train is thus in condition tostart.

The invention is more particularly adapt ed to that system of trains, inwhich a guard is stationed on each platform-- for the pur-- pose ofcontrolling the ingress and egress of passengers and forgiving astarting signal after the closing of the doors. With this system, it wasthe practice for one guard to signal to the succeeding guard by means ofa bell rope, the signal thus eventuallyreaching'the motorman. By myinvention, the delay thus necessarily incurred is abrogated, a signalbeing directly given from each guard in such a manner that upon thereception of the last signal, the motorman is automatically informedthat the train is to proceed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a diagram of a train signalembodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a sectional face View of theannunciator.

Briefly stated, my improved signaling device comprises an annunciatorlocated preferably in the motormans cageand containing a series ofelectro-magnets. Each.

electro-magnet is in circuit with one or-more push buttons or switcheswhich are arranged within easy reach of the guard, and which areactuated after the guard has closed thecar doors. When all theelectro-magnet armatures are attracted, they close an electric circuitwhich may actuate a visible or audible signal or it may automaticallyclose the motor-circuit to start the train.

The numeral 10 indicates the casing of the annunciator which is locatedwithin the engineers cage. Within casing 10 are inclosed a series ofradially arranged electromagnets 11 having pivoted armatures 12, whichare normally drawn away from the magnets by springs 13. The face plate14 of the annunci-ator is preferably provided with windows 15, throughwhich numbers 16, carried by armatures-12, are'exposed when the latterare attracted, such numbers -suitable couplings after the armature whenattracted, rests against a contact 17, which is by wire 18 conductivelyconnected with the fulcrum 19 of the adjoining armat ure. One of thecontacts 17 is, by wire 20, connected to a battery or other source ofelectricity 21. which is, in turn, by wire 22 connected to a gong 23,the latter being by wire-24, connected to the adjoining fulcrum 19;

- With the arrangement shown. each car A is provided near each end witha pair of switches 25, the pivots of the switches of all ears beingconnected by a common wire 26 to one pole of abattery 27. The contacts28 of each set of four adjoining switches 25, are by a wire 29 connectedto one of the elect-ro-magnets 11, the switches of each pair ofadjoining cars being connected by suitable wire couplings (not shown).The electromagnets 11 are by branches 30 and wires 31, 32 connected tothe other pole of battery 27. lVires 26 and""29 pass preferably througheach car in the form .of insulated cables, the ends of which areconnected by cars have been coupled. The several conductors have onlybeen diagrammatically shown in the draw ings, said couplings being wellknown the doors of two adjoining cars, turns one of the swltches 25,thereby closing an electric I circuit, the current flowing from theswitch through wire 29, electro-magnet 11, branch 30, wires 31, 32,battery 27, and wire 26 back to the switch, and thereby attracting thecorresponding armature 12. After all switches have been closed by theguards, armatures 12 will close a circuit, the current flowing frombattery 21' through wire 20, armatures 12 and I wires 18, wire 24, gong23 and wire 22 back to battery 21. In this way, the motorman will benotified that the train is ready for the start.

. In addition to giving the signal, the train may be automaticallystarted, assoon as the last guard has operated his switcl1,-for whichpurpose, an electro-magnet 33 is arranged in shunt with gong 23, wires34, 35, connecting said electro-magnet with wires 22, 24 respectively.Electro-magnet 33 when ener gized, will attract itsarmature 36, whichwill close the circuit of the electro-motor (not shown) through wires37, 38, armature 36,

Wire 39, controller-coils 40 and Wire 41'. The controller handle 42 issubsequently advanced by the motorman over contacts 4L3, in the usualmanner. After the train has started, the guards release the switches,which are then by suitable springs returned into their inoperativepositions.

I claim:

1. In an electric train signal, a plurality of electro-magnets,armatures' controlled thereby, .a' circuit adapted to be closed by saidarmatures, means provided in each car for closing one of theelectro-magnet circuits and means for indicating which circuits havebeen closed.

2. In an electric train signal, a plurality of electro-magnets,armatures controlled thereby, an electric circuit adapted to be' closedby said armatures, signaling means in said circuit, means provided inthe cars for closing theelectro-magnet circuits. and means forindicating which circuits have been closed;

3. In an electric train signal, a plurality of electro-magnets,armatures controlled thereby, contacts adapted to be engaged by thearmatures, a conductor connecting the contact of one electro-magnet withthe armature of the adjoining electro-Inagnet, said armatures, contactsand conductors constituting jointly an electric circuit, a signalingdevice controlled by said circuit, means provided in each car forclosing one of the electro-magnet circuits and means for indicatingWhich circuits have been closed.

t. In an electric train signal, a plurality ERNST F. VON DREDEN.

Witnesses FRANK v. BRIESEN, ARTHUR E. ZUMPE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- a Washington, DIG.

